Holly Lanes Rolls Out the Rainbows in Support of Equality
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 21, 2016)
Holly, MI – John Butterfield had an amazing night at work Wednesday.
That’s because his boss at Holly Lanes decided to throw a big rainbow-tastic party to celebrate equality and show support for all LGBTQ people who may chose the Holly area to live, work, or visit.
Earilier this month the Village of Holly Council declined passing an inclusive Human Rights Ordinance that would have given civil rights protection to people regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.
Currently the State of Michigan has legal protections for many marginalized groups including based on race, age, disability, and gender but has not been able to reach a consensus about amending the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights to include the LGBTQ community. That means that in Michigan people can still be fired, can still be denied housing or thrown out of their homes, and they can be refused service at businesses because of who they are.
Over 40 municipalities have passed local human rights ordinances to supplement the state law. This was proposed in the Village of Holly, but was voted down with only the Village Council President voting in favor of it.
This did not sit well with Brian Aubuchon, whose family owns Holly Lanes. “They’re supposed to vote for the people,” he said. “This is not a property rights issue. This is a human rights issue.”
Aubuchon announced that Wednesday would be “LGBT and Friends night,” and offered a venue for elected officials, residents and business owners to come together and talk about the issue of equality.
“Holly is a welcoming place. The handful of people that spoke do not represent the community,” Aubuchon said. “It’ an embarrassment that they would vote that way when all these other cities have it. They’re supposed to vote on what is best for the people. All the people.”
The event was open to the public. Elected officials and those running for office were invited to participate. Councilperson Dave Cruickshank, who is currently running for Village Council President, was among the six officials that voted against the ordinance. He attended Wednesday to be part of the conversation.
When asked what he thought of the event, Cruickshank said “I think it’s awesome. I feel this is a beautiful representation of market forces, businesses promoting ‘we want to be inclusive.”
He said that response has been “all across the board” on his decision to vote against the human rights ordinance. “I’ve got a lot of encouraging emails and texts,” he said. “Some people have been upset, but they don’t know me or where I’m coming from. I haven’t gotten my car keyed or my tired slashed or anything like that. It’s been a good dialogue.”
Cruickshank had opposed the ordinances, at the time stating “The false belief with that is, number one, government always has the answer. And number two that we can legislate morality. If that were the case the war on drugs would have been a home run, and there would have been no one murdered since Cain killed Abel. What we have in society is a morality issue, that will not be taken care of by the ordinance. The only way this can be resolved is by culture change and market forces.”
At the Wednesday night event Cruickhank said “I’m planning on making a resolution telling our State Reps to take this on. The law should be changed at the State Level.”
He added that “If we’re trying to promote inclusion, start with a gay pride parade. I’d be all for it.”
Village of Holly resident Jennifer Littrell donned a rainbow bowling shirt saying “Orlando Strong,” in honor of the victims of the June 12 shooting at a Pulse Nightclub where 49 people were killed and 53 wounded.
“I am straight but I love and support everyone,” she said. “I’m upset by this whole thing. It’s unfair and it’s inhumane. Can you imagine living in a community where the people who are supposed to protect you vote and say your rights don’t matter?”
Littrell added that she hopes there will be a petition effort to put the ordinance on the ballot. Aubuchon has offered Holly Lanes as a connection point for anyone interested in organizing a petition effort. “If this gets on a petition I’ll sign it. I’ll go around and get signatures,” she said.
Dee VanBoemek, owner of Bittersweet Café, came to the event and brought a table of family and friends. “I’m all for the good and the positive. We live in a small community. We gotta love each other,” VanBoemek said. “It’s a good community. I can’t imagine anyone who would refuse service to anyone just because of who they are. I’m appalled that we even have to have a law. I have two teenage boys. To their generation and to my generation this is not even an issue. I accept it because I have kids, and I know the world is hard enough without the kind of prejudice that is out there.”
With the sign lit up to welcome “LGBT and Friends,” and equality symbols in the bowling alley windows, there has already been some pushback.
“The police were here this morning, there were a couple guys putting up hateful signs, but the police came and told me,” Aubuchon said. “But mostly the response has been positive.”
For Butterfield, the response was more than just positive. “This honestly is more than I can ask for. I’m overwhelmed to see the support,” he said. “I’ve been going around serving and listening to people talking. Everyone just wants the same rights as everyone else, and people are starting to get that.”
Butterfield’s first job was at Holly Lanes when he was 15 years old, working as a shoe boy. He grew up in Holly, but did not come out as gay until after he had moved away. He now lives in Fenton, a city where he cannot be evicted from his home, discriminated against in businesses, or fired from a job were he to work there because of his sexual orientation. Fenton officials passed their inclusive ordinance two and a half years ago.
“I couldn’t be myself here,” he said “I was fearful, [because of] the names people call, the staring, the whispering, the side eyes. Now I generally just brush it off. It helps me to be a strong person. But I’m also really lucky that I work at a place that is accepting.”
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